The Horn is Hertfordshire's premier grassroots live music venue, on Victoria Street in St Albans no more than 40 metres from St Albans City station. Behind the front bar is a 200-capacity standing venue room with house PA, Marshall guitar combos and a drum kit, programmed with Juicebox Live since 2013. Music runs six nights a week: Amplify new-band nights and touring acts midweek, free-entry cover band nights on Fridays, tribute acts most Saturdays and the Blue Angel Open Mic every Sunday from 3pm to 6pm, now in its 28th year. Coming up are Romeo Stodart of The Magic Numbers on 25 October 2026, two nights of Bernard Butler on 28 and 29 October and The Woodentops on 3 December. A pub called The Horn of Plenty in the early 1970s and relaunched as The Horn in 2007, it has hosted early shows by U2, Motorhead, Bastille and Enter Shikari and twice won UK Music Pub of the Year. It also has a second room, The Barn.
St Albans · Every Sunday · Free
Victoria Street, AL1 3TE's sunday open mic.
Next night: Sun 15 Nov. Kick-off 15:00. Free entry.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
Sundays
| Night | Every Sunday |
| Sign-up | Ask the host |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | Free · all ages |
| Backline | PA provided |
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Host | Bill Johnson |
| Status | Verified running |
| Last checked | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Checked against | Venue website |
| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
The Blue Angel Open Mic has run at The Horn in St Albans for nearly three decades, now in its 27th-plus year. It takes place every Sunday from 3pm to 6pm with free entry, hosted by Bill Johnson in a proper gig setting: a stage, a full PA, and tables and chairs for the room. All acoustic styles are welcome. Floor spots are not walk-up, though - to get on the performers list you call Bill ahead rather than just turning up.
The Horn is Hertfordshire's premier grassroots live music venue, on Victoria Street in St Albans no more than 40 metres from St Albans City station. Behind the front bar is a 200-capacity standing venue room with house PA, Marshall guitar combos and a drum kit, programmed with Juicebox Live since 2013. Music runs six nights a week: Amplify new-band nights and touring acts midweek, free-entry cover band nights on Fridays, tribute acts most Saturdays and the Blue Angel Open Mic every Sunday from 3pm to 6pm, now in its 28th year. Coming up are Romeo Stodart of The Magic Numbers on 25 October 2026, two nights of Bernard Butler on 28 and 29 October and The Woodentops on 3 December. A pub called The Horn of Plenty in the early 1970s and relaunched as The Horn in 2007, it has hosted early shows by U2, Motorhead, Bastille and Enter Shikari and twice won UK Music Pub of the Year. It also has a second room, The Barn.
One tap. It tells the next act what to expect.
| 01 | Correct the day, time and sign-up |
| 02 | Edit your profile and photos |
| 03 | Receive artist enquiries |
| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
The Horn Open Mic
Victoria Street, AL1 3TE's sunday open mic.
- Sunday
- Open mic night
- Jun 2026
- Listed since
- 8 Oct
- Last verified
- Free
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Verified
- Listing status
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Horn Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Horn Open Mic runs on Sundays at The Horn in St Albans, starting at 15:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Music starts around 15:00, finishing about 18:00. Sign-up is by phone, in advance. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in. Bill Johnson hosts the night.
What’s on in St Albans this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Blue Angel Open Mic has run at The Horn in St Albans for nearly three decades, now in its 27th-plus year. It takes place every Sunday from 3pm to 6pm with free entry, hosted by Bill Johnson in a proper gig setting: a stage, a full PA, and tables and chairs for the room. All acoustic styles are welcome. Floor spots are not walk-up, though - to get on the performers list you call Bill ahead rather than just turning up.
Equipment and backline at this venue — what's on stage, verified regularly.
The Night at a Glance
How The Horn’s Sunday night runs.
Every Sunday
Sun 15 Nov · Sun 22 Nov · Sun 29 Nov
The Horn provides a PA system and vocal mics — check the rest with the venue.
Book your slot by phone, in advance, then arrive in time for 15:00.
Find The Horn
Victoria Street, AL1 3TE, St Albans
The Horn is in Victoria Street, AL1 3TE, St Albans. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station before you set off.
Johnny's Bar, Mad Squirrel, The Oddfellows Arms and The Pump House
Planning Your Sunday Night
Book your slot by phone, in advance, then arrive in time for 15:00. The open mic runs until about 18:00. The Horn provides a PA system and vocal mics — check the rest with the venue.
How much should paid gigs pay you? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. A night in the St Albans live music scene.
Common Questions
8 things people ask before turning up at St Albans' The Horn open mic.
What’s On at The Horn
The gigs coming up at The Horn besides the open mic, from the GigXchange directory — each one links its listing.
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- GenreRock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
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- GenreIndie Rock, Alternative Rock, Pop
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- GenreAlternative Rock
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- GenreRock, Pop
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- AgeAll ages
- GenreAlternative Rock, Punk Rock
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- GenreRock, Pop
- Entry—
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- AgeAll ages
- GenreRock, Alternative Rock
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See what’s on in St Albans over the next four weeks →
The Horn open mic in brief. The Horn open mic runs every Sunday from 15:00 (free entry). The Horn’s venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. The open mics near St Albans are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in St Albans? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
After paid gigs rather than open mics? See St Albans gigs or check the going rate.
The Total Stone RosesSaturday, 14 November 2026
VigilantesSunday, 15 November 2026
Junior BrotherWednesday, 18 November 2026
Amplify new music nightsThursday, 19 November 2026
The SpitfiresSaturday, 21 November 2026The Total Stone RosesSaturday, 14 November 2026VigilantesSunday, 15 November 2026Junior BrotherWednesday, 18 November 2026Amplify new music nightsThursday, 19 November 2026The SpitfiresSaturday, 21 November 2026More dates at The Horn: KEG, The South and Lois & the Love.
Rooms near The Horn: Blackwells Chipperfield, Chandos Arms, Cocos Stanmore, Glenn Social & Sports Club, Horse And Chains, Johnny's Bar, Mad Squirrel, Oneforty, The Boxmoor Playhouse, The Crown, The Crown & Anchor and The Farmer's Boy.
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